The simple drawing hangs next to Eric Favors' bathroom mirror. He sees it each time he brushes his teeth.
It's of a stick figure in a stadium holding a round object. He's standing near a throwing circle, where shot putters work, and a board reads, "Favors up." The drawing says "Paris 2024."
Favors' quick self-portrait says only "I will. I can."
Favors smiles when he sees the sketch. He drew it months before last week's news that the Olympic dream it depicts would happen.
The 27-year-old will throw the shot put this summer in Paris as an Olympian.
Favors' previous bathroom art correctly forecast him competing at the world championships in 2022 in Oregon and in 2023 in Hungary.
"It feels amazing," he said.
Ireland's first Olympic shot putter in three decades
Favors won the New York state high school indoor and outdoor shot put titles as a senior at North Rockland High School in 2015 and then accepted a scholarship to the University of South Carolina from among many offers.
He qualified for the Games by being among the top 32 ranked shot put throwers in the world. That was determined, he noted, by the distance he amassed in his five best throws over a roughly 14-month period.
He was notified last week that the International Olympic Committee had verified his selection at No. 30.
But the American-born Favors isn't throwing for the U.S.
He's also of Irish descent. His maternal grandmother, Margaret (Mahon) Hyman, was born in Ireland.
Knowing how tough it is to make the U.S. national team, Favors' former coach, Paddy McGrath, a one-time Irish Olympic hammer thrower, suggested Favors consider applying for dual citizenship. Favors did so and for the past several years has represented Ireland in big international competitions, about four times a year.
"It definitely was an adjustment when I first went over," Favors said. "It was, 'Who is this guy?' But I kept on coming back and now I feel I'm accepted (by the Irish team)."
To him, throwing for Ireland is a natural extension of not only his roots, but the area in Rockland County where he was raised.
"There's a strong Irish heritage," he said. "New York is basically a smaller Ireland."
There's ample reason for the Irish to like him. Favors' selection ends a long drought for Ireland, which hasn't had an Olympic shot putter in 30 years.
"My goal when I first went representing Ireland was to get international representation in the throws again," he said.
He is now Ireland's three-time national outdoor and two-time national indoor men's shot put champion.
His best throw, 20.93 meters, which was in April and broke his own Irish national record, was a little less than two feet off the automatic Olympic qualifying standard. But he didn't need to obtain the standard to compete due to his high world ranking.
Training, working, on the way to the Olympics
A high shot put ranking doesn't exactly mean notoriety and marketability. It's hard enough for talented runners (think Carmel High grad Eric Holt, who recently was signed by Puma at age 29) to secure shoe contracts.
It's much more difficult for track and field throwers to get deals.
Favors competed at South Carolina through the 2021 outdoor season. He was named to the All-South Eastern Conference academic honor roll four times and to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association All-Academic Team in 2020. He also earned his master's degree in education technology.
Post-college, Favors moved to Redding, Pennsylvania to train with coach Dane Miller and his Garage Strength club, which currently has 12 throwers, including Sam Mattis, who'll throw the discus on the U.S. team in Paris.
Traveling to international competitions and training fulltime could be a sport in itself.
Favors receives a modest monthly athletic stipend from Ireland. He has no shoe sponsorship. Purses for shot put champions at European meets are generally about $1,500 to $3,000 for the winner, with the next several finishers earning much less.
So Favors holds two jobs when home in Redding.
To "chase my dreams," he works in IT at a local school district and also works as a bouncer.
The latter job might seem to contrast with his easy-going personality and approach of treating people "with respect and a smile." But the former high school defensive tackle, who was a two-time Journal News/lohud Rockland County Football Player of the Year, is built to bounce. His muscled 5-10/11 frame supports more than 200 pounds.
Favors spends about four months a year away from the U.S. to compete on the European circuit. His agent negotiates travel, hotel and food cost coverage from the organizers of the meets where he'll compete.
Favors would prefer a more secure financial situation. But he's making it work. He has competed in more than 20 countries.
Family support from the start
Favors followed his older brother, Darius, onto their high school football and track teams (Darius later threw for SUNY-Brockport). He said his brother first saw his potential, which gave him the confidence he needed.
His final year at South Carolina, Favors qualified for the 2021 NCAA Division I outdoor championships, but a torn groin prevented him from throwing.
His college athletic career was over but not his career as an athlete.
"When I left college with an injury and finishing up my master's, I knew I wanted to continue to throw because I knew I had the potential to be among the top throwers in the world," Favors said.
Even now, throwing so well, he's not 100% physically. He has been battling patella tendonitis for months.
He said there's no quit in him, in part, because his late paternal grandmother, Dorothy Favors, showed him what commitment was, working several jobs to help support his family. She was always there for him, whether he needed a high-protein meal, a ride or something else.
His family support system remains strong.
Mount Vernon star, others to Paris:Get to know Rai Benjamin, McLain Ward, 6 other Hudson Valley athletes headed to Olympics
His mother, Teresa Hyman, is hosting an opening ceremonies gathering on July 26 from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at The Copper Still restaurant at 357 Route 202 in Pomona.
His Irish grandmother, who lives in Rockland County, won't make the trip to the Olympics, but Favors said he knows she'll be rooting for him. "She's very excited," Favors said.
But his mom, brother, sister-in-law, a cousin, three friends and Miller are going to Paris.
Many of them remember when Favors, whose favorite quote is, "A journey of 1,000 miles begins with one step," was first learning how to step and throw the shot put.
Favors cites the picture he drew of the Olympic stadium and said, "I really just want to experience walking into the (throwing) circle."
"I have no goal in my mind," he said. "This is all gravy now. I'm here to take in the experience and give my all, just have fun and throw it as far as I can."
Nancy Haggerty covers cross-country, track & field, field hockey, skiing, girls basketball, girls lacrosse and other sporting events for The Journal News/lohud. Follow her on Twitter at both @HaggertyNancy and at @LoHudHockey.
Most Popular
Comments / 0